# US 10,319,259 B2 · Anatomical simulators produced using 3d printing > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,319,259 B2 - Document ID: US10319259B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/324,074 - Filed: 2015-09-23 - Published: 2017-10-12 - Granted: 2019-06-11 - Earliest claimed: 2015-09-23 - Assignees: Synaptive Medical (Barbados) Inc. - Applicants: Fergal Kerins; Gregory Allan Whitton; Joshua Lee Richmond; Timotheus Anton Gmeiner - Inventors: Fergal Kerins; Gregory Allan Whitton; Joshua Lee Richmond; Timotheus Anton Gmeiner - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10319259B2 ## CPC - G09B 23/303: {specially adapted to simulate circulation of bodily fluids} - B29C 35/0805: {using electromagnetic radiation} - B29C 37/0025: {Applying surface layers, e.g. coatings, decorative layers, printed layers, to articles during shaping, e.g. in-mould printing (moulding on preformed layers as inserts B29C70/68; applying fluent material to surfaces in general B05)} - B29C 64/112: using individual droplets, e.g. from jetting heads - B29C 64/129: characterised by the energy source therefor, e.g. by global irradiation combined with a mask - B33Y 10/00: Processes of additive manufacturing - B33Y 70/10: Composites of different types of material, e.g. mixtures of ceramics and polymers or mixtures of metals and biomaterials - B33Y 80/00: Products made by additive manufacturing - G09B 23/30: Anatomical models {(G09B23/281 - G09B23/288 take precedence)} - B29C 2035/0827: {using UV radiation} - B29K 2083/00: Use of polymers having silicon, with or without sulfur, nitrogen, oxygen, or carbon only, in the main chain, as moulding material - B29K 2995/0037: Other properties - B29L 2031/7532: {Artificial members, protheses} - G09B: EDUCATIONAL OR DEMONSTRATION APPLIANCES; APPLIANCES FOR TEACHING, OR COMMUNICATING WITH, THE BLIND, DEAF OR MUTE; MODELS; PLANETARIA; GLOBES; MAPS; DIAGRAMS (devices for psychotechnics or for testing reaction times A61B5/16; games, sports, amusements A63; projectors, projector screens G03B) - B29C: SHAPING OR JOINING OF PLASTICS; SHAPING OF MATERIAL IN A PLASTIC STATE, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; AFTER-TREATMENT OF THE SHAPED PRODUCTS, e.g. REPAIRING (making preforms B29B11/00; making laminated products by combining previously unconnected layers which become one product whose layers will remain together B32B37/00 - B32B41/00) - B33Y: ADDITIVE MANUFACTURING, i.e. MANUFACTURING OF THREE-DIMENSIONAL [3D] OBJECTS BY ADDITIVE DEPOSITION, ADDITIVE AGGLOMERATION OR ADDITIVE LAYERING, e.g. BY 3D PRINTING, STEREOLITHOGRAPHY OR SELECTIVE LASER SINTERING - B29K: INDEXING SCHEME ASSOCIATED WITH SUBCLASSES B29B, B29C OR B29D, RELATING TO MOULDING MATERIALS OR TO MATERIALS FOR {MOULDS, } REINFORCEMENTS, FILLERS OR PREFORMED PARTS, e.g. INSERTS - B29L: INDEXING SCHEME ASSOCIATED WITH SUBCLASS B29C, RELATING TO PARTICULAR ARTICLES ## Abstract Disclosed herein are anatomical simulators produced using three dimensional (3D) printing to produce interior components of the simulator. The method of producing void structures in an anatomical phantom, includes 3D printing one or more structures of one or more desired sub-anatomical features using a dissolvable material; supporting and enclosing the one or more structures in an interior of a mold of the anatomical phantom; filling a remaining internal volume in the interior of the mold between an outer surface of the one or more structures and an inner surface of the mold with a liquid precursor of a matrix material selected to mimic anatomical tissue and processing the liquid precursor to form a tissue mimic matrix material; and dissolving the one or more structures with a fluid selected to dissolve said dissolvable material to produce one or more internal cavities within the tissue mimic matrix material. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method of producing void structures in an anatomical phantom, comprising: a) printing, using 3D printing with silicone, one or more hollow structures and associated vasculature of one or more desired sub-anatomical features, connecting the one or more hollow structures to a proximal end of an associated fluid flow channel; b) supporting and enclosing the one or more hollow structures and the associated fluid flow channel in an interior of a mold of the anatomical phantom with a distal end of the associated fluid flow channel being located on an exterior of the mold; c) filling a remaining internal volume in the interior of the mold between an outer surface of both the one or more hollow structures and associated vasculature and an inner surface of the mold with a liquid precursor of a matrix material selected to mimic anatomical tissue, the liquid precursor including at least polyvinyl alcohol, and curing the polyvinyl alcohol to produce a polyvinyl alcohol-based hydrogel to form a tissue mimic matrix material; and d) filling, through an access port, the one or more one hollow structures and their the associated vasculature and inner surface of the mold with liquid solutions selected to mimic preselected bodily fluids; e) producing one or more microstructure, using bi-photon polymerization, in one or more positions in a wall of the one or more hollow structures that restrict radial water diffusion in order to generate DTI tractography. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, wherein the associated fluid flow channel is configured to mimic the associated vasculature connected to the one or more hollow structures. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, wherein curing the polyvinyl alcohol includes subjecting the polyvinyl alcohol to a preselected number of freeze-thaw cycles. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1 wherein the one or more microstructures is produced partway through the step of 3D printing of the one or more hollow structures such that the 3D printing is paused and then the one or more microstructures is produced in the one or more positions using bi-photon polymerization, after which the 3D printing is resumed to completion, wherein a pattern array of DTI tractography within the wall of the one or more hollow structures is produced which depicts diffusion in an anatomical region of interest. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The method according to claim 4 wherein the pattern array of DTI tractography is configured to simulate any one or combination of one or more microstructure within the anatomical region of interest. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The method according to claim 5 wherein the anatomical region of interest is a human brain. ### Claim 7 (depends on 5) The method according to claim 5 wherein the one or more microstructures is selected from a group consisting of axons, hematomas, ventricles, vascularity, tumours, diseased white matter cartilage, bone, or neuro sub-anatomical structures. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1 wherein the 3D printing is paused substantially midway through the 3D printing of the one or more hollow structures such that the one or more microstructures is produced substantially in a middle of the wall of said one or more hollow structures. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1 wherein any one or combination of paramagnetic and superparamagnetic nanoparticles are incorporated into the silicone to provide T1/T2 contrast manipulation. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The method according to claim 9 wherein the any one or combination of paramagnetic and superparamagnetic nanoparticles comprise any one or combination of gadolinium (III), iron oxide, and carbon nanohybrids. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The method according to claim 10 wherein the carbon nanohybrids are any one or combination of graphene oxide and metallofullerenes.